The Princess Knight by: Tauriel Rogers

Chapter 12

"You know, for a princess and all, you are one heck of a woman." Alice blushed. "And I mean that in the most sincere way Princess," he quickly added, jumping to his senses.

"Please, call me Alice," she said, holding out her hand for him to shake. Thomas smiled shyly and gladly accepted.

"You make friends easily," Jacob commented when Alice went to pick out a sword for the day.

"Maybe if you were nice to people for a change, you might find it was easy to." Jacob looked as if someone had punched him in the stomach.

"You have no idea how easy you have it do you? What with your fancy dresses, best food, and warm soft bed. You probably don't even make your own clothes or do your own hair," Jacob started.

"I know very well how to sew and I can do my own hair, just not anything intricate," Alice defended herself.

"Enjoy it all you can, not everyone is as lucky," Jacob had a sad tone to his voice. Alice softened, seeing him show his real emotions for the first time.

"Jacob, what kind of living conditions do you have?" Alice asked as gently as she could. Jacob made sure no one was listening before replying,

"I live with my ma, pa, and 3 little sisters in a house the size your closet. None of my sisters are old enough to work yet and my parents only make so much. I offer as much money as I can, but most of it goes to pay for the feed of our families horses. Because of this, I chose to give my sisters the better life and I sleep in a pile of hay by the fire every night. The only time I ever eat is when I'm here with the Royal Guard. The left overs from your meals goes to the guards like me."

Alice was heartbroken upon hearing his news. "Jacob, if I had known, I could have helped. Tell me what your family needs and I will see to it personally receive it," she offered.

"You would do that for me?"

"Of course! Believe me, I have more wealth than I know what to do with."

"But I've been such a pain to you," Jacob realized.

"It is how you are, nothing personal. Your the kind of man that has to be proven wrong and put into his place before you trust someone," the Princess told him.

"Alice, the Captain would like to spar with you now," Larry called. Alice quickly obliged. After her arms became sore, Alice called it for a day and returned to her bedroom. The Princess changed into an old faded blue dress and grabbed her cloak. She mounted her horse and went to the never ending market outside of the castle walls to see what could find for Jacob's family. Alice dismounted her horse in front of Margaret's fruit stand and picked some more fresh apples.

"My dear! What are planning? It looks as if you are trying to escape at last!" Margaret exclaimed when she saw the unusually large supply on Alice's horse.

"I'm helping another who is in need," Alice said. Margaret smiled proudly at the princess. "I wanted to talk to you about something before I head back," Alice explained her mother's attitude lately and anxiously awaited Margaret's response.

"Be careful my Princess, from what I've heard in the past from you, your mother gets excited when things go her way, even if she knows it will upset others," she warned.

"But what do I? I don't even know who this Prince is or where he is from. They won't tell me anything!" the Princess huffed, exasperated.

"Keep your guard up and do not be afraid to speak your mind," Margaret encouraged. Alice nodded with an unpersuaded smile. "And I can tell you have been training; your speech is relaxed," she teased. Alice followed Jacob's directions and found the small house his family lived in. She knocked on the door when she was greeted with a very tired and disheveled looking woman.

"Hello, can I help you?" Jacob's mother asked tiredly, but still authoritatively.

"No, more of how I can help you," Alice gestured to her horse and the woman's eyes filled with tears. "Your son told me how you were all living and I thought I could help lift some of the burdens. You will no longer have to worry about how to pay for the horses feed as long as I am alive." Jacob's mother put a hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs.

"Thank you," she whispered as she accepted the much needed supplies. Alice returned to the castle right at dusk, when the gate is closed.

"Alice! Thank goodness you're back! Maid Lydia has been searching for you all day," the barn boy informed her upon her return. The princess hurried up her spiral stone stair case, worried that her parents would be even more mad at her. She burst her door open, breathless and tired from her long day.

"There you are! Had a fun day outside of the walls did we?" Lydia teased as she took Alice's cloak from her and hung it up.

"Yes and I'm quite tired now," Alice admitted as she untied her boots.

"Then I am most sorry to inform you that we must hurry if we are to make you presentable for tonight," Lydia ushered Alice to the bathroom where a hot bath was waiting for her.

"Why?" the princess asked quizzically.

"He did not say, only to make sure that you looked exquisite," she answered as she left the room to leave Alice to bathe in peace.

"Your father has requested you wear this Princess Alice," Maid Lydia said as she rushed in with a beautiful silk purple dress decorated with tiny golden gems.

"Why? Is someone joining us for supper?" Alice asked as she put the dress on and her maid buttoned the back.

"Yes my Princess, and you won't like who it is," Lydia answered sadly. Princess Alice scrunched her face in worry and confusion, not liking how her meal was sounding.

Alice slowly walked into the dining hall and stopped in her tracks when she saw who their 'honorable' guest was. "Come, join us my daughter, it is rude to keep our guests waiting," Queen Rosalind beckoned to Alice from the grand dining table.

"Send for Captain Riley, tell him to guard this door from here," Alice whispered to Maid Lydia. Alice swallowed hard and stood a little taller as she entered. "Of course, sorry mother."

"This is Prince Rorick of the Alda Kingdom and this is my fair daughter, Princess Alice of the Linque Kingdom," King Bard formally introduced them. Alice glanced over as Captain Riley quietly walked in and discreetly nodded his reassurance to her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Alice forced out with a fake smile.

"Your beauty exceeds even the forests when the colors of autumn arrive," Prince Rorick complimented as he reached for her hand and planted a gentle kiss on it.

"Well now, supperr is served! Let's be seated shall we?" Queen Rosalind clapped her hands excitedly as she made her way to her seat on the right side of the King. Alice went to sit down on the left side of the King, but Prince Rorick quickly stopped her.

"Allow me Princess Alice," he offered as he pulled her chair out for her.

"No! Allow me to do it my Princess. We don't take too kindly to foreigners born from evil around here," Captain Riley interrupted, offering an icy look to the Prince. Alice smiled gratefully.

"Captain Riley! That is no way to treat a guest!" King Bard scolded.

"My apologies King Bard, I am only doing my best to protect the royal family."

"Thank you Captain," Princess Alice said. The two men shared death glares and with that, the meal began.